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Governor Phil Bryant, (R-Miss.), on plans for setting up health-insurance exchanges.
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States across the country are scrambling to set up health insurance exchanges just.
One of the many many mandates in obamacare.
The Fed's extended today's deadline for states comply with the law for another month.
But Wednesday the -- said they will not create their own exchanges rather they'll leave it to the federal government to run.
But Mississippi by the governor's opposition to the lot is going ahead with the exchange.
Earlier I sat down with the governor Phil Bryant and asked him why his state is going ahead.
But a -- situation we got -- elected superintendent I'm sorry commissioner of insurance here in the state of Mississippi good friend night and it.
We just fundamentally disagree he Fordham letter to the separation -- yesterday -- Wednesday I'm sorry to say that.
We would be setting up -- -- -- exchange now when it first started we were all fourteen years ago we were thinking about a private based.
In church exchange that would help small businesses come together to try to lower their cost only in church and course that.
That now has evolved into what I believe is like portal for Obama care into the state of Mississippi well may lead to an expansion of some 300000.
Mississippi and -- on our Medicaid growth.
And and at the end of the day it looks like correct me if I'm wrong here Mississippi.
May be ultimately on the hook for funding a lot of that once we get through the first years of obamacare.
Went up.
Course who will there's never been a program -- the federal government hasn't funded that they won't take control this bait and switch idea that we're going to let the states even though we find it we've got forty million dollars.
From the federal government several years ago to -- exchange.
That did to believe that somehow they want my house sale would jurors -- control -- we won't have influence on it is just nonsense they're gonna control and this is -- joke until one day and said here's a bridge over the river choir we're building this bridge yet our own.
Disadvantage.
If you will -- and they're telling us trust us the federal government's gonna let you run it -- -- that's gonna have well.
Now I know what people Mississippi also oppose Obama -- don't like the idea of the exchange and yet critics of -- might say.
That you want just want the twenty million dollar she'll get to set up the exchange what do you say to that.
Well of course -- -- governor only commonly accepted to twenty million dollars I know what federal government.
The funding will do it they're always not only strange that sometimes change.
And locks attached to it so.
I would've certainly.
Perhaps if I had been governor -- -- through this situation which we knew that -- -- was coming.
But again in those early days this was talk in about and they totally different situation so.
-- that people that say oh you took the money but you don't -- -- oil in the early days they were showing us something not some warm.
And friendly to businesses and now it's become something that I that I Catalonia is.
Capstar gasoline different -- -- -- -- -- down here they showed us eternally gave us a -- and we're just not committed to.
And ahead.
Well let's get there any animal metaphors I'm trying to think of one Fred what's going on at the federal level -- that -- congress and the president about battling it out.
Over the budget the national debt I don't even know how to describe it's more like a snake swallowing -- -- You know this is important to yield because states like -- get money from the federal government.
Do you believe that we -- gonna have avert this fiscal cliff.
You know I hope so but I hope that we're careful in doing so I remember when George H.
W.
Bush said read -- helps it to Republican National Convention -- -- almost four when that happened and then.
A few years later the Democrats convinced him -- if you just let us raise taxes will have an equal amount of cuts in government.
The taxes took place that cuts never really got there -- I would hope that -- careful with this big group hug that we got -- -- Iraq now.
To make sure that we're not raising taxes on the middle class Obama -- -- largest tax increase on middle class.
The the Congressional Budget Office said we're gonna lose 800000.
Jobs in America -- -- this.
-- -- now restaurants putting surcharges -- meals I've talked to the president about restaurant association last night.
He believes it at least 10% of his members will go a lot of business here in Mississippi percent of the registered owner of that association.
It's absolutely tragic for some businesses and we told stories many time right here on Fox Business with CEOs talking about.
How they're gonna fire people not expand put people on literally hours.
But I want you to talk about something very specific about this there's a lot of talk about sequestration.
This would impact states fairly severely and in fact it would it would hit Mississippi pretty darn hard federal grants subject to sequester as this as a percentage of state support.
Seven point 6% Mississippi only six point six nationwide.
What do you make of that and how important is it that we avert sequestration.
Very important you know it is so troubling to know the amount of waste it's in the federal government -- -- -- all director for eleven years.
So I can tell you we cut nearly half a billion dollars out of state spending in the four years I was lieutenant governor.
Nobody's talking about looking at cutting.
Government spending and looking at entitlement programs.
But the first thing that -- reduce say we're gonna cut defense spending now the next war I think we're gonna have to fight with what we got we're gonna have to -- of what we now -- -- we need to be prepared for that cutting defense spending is the worst possible thing we can do.
Not only for the economy of this -- -- this nation.
But for our future safety and security for the United States and its people I think it's horrible idea and we need to do away with the very quickly.
Well we'll see soon enough whether were able to -- -- -- sequestration.
And and and stay off the fiscal cliff but I gotta tell yet.
I feel like we're more of the turtle than the hair.
And this analogy governor thank you for coming on tonight appreciate your time.
